Loves Park’s law firm wants $40-an-hour boost

LOVES PARK — The law firm that represents the city, Nicolosi & Associates, has requested a $40-an-hour pay raise.

Julia Hunter

LOVES PARK — The law firm that represents the city, Nicolosi & Associates, has requested a $40-an-hour pay raise.

“Our firm’s legal rate for services has not increased in the past seven years, and during that same period, our costs for staff, attorneys and other general costs associated with operating a law firm have increased substantially,” City Attorney Gino Galluzzo said in a letter addressed to Mayor Darryl Lindberg.

The firm requested that its rate be changed to $135, which amounts to a 44 percent increase in the firm’s hourly rate.

According to the city treasurer’s office, the rate is currently $95, with the exception of special projects, for which the law firm charges $200 per hour.

During the 2009-10 fiscal year, the city paid $232,419 in legal fees, which equates at least 2,500 hours, at $95 an hour, on Loves Park business.

At $135 an hour, the raise means the bill to the city would be a minimum of $330,000, but likely more if the firm participated in special projects.

A breakdown of how many hours are devoted to special projects wasn’t immediately available from the treasurer’s office.

The measure was forwarded during Monday’s council meeting to the Finance & Administration Committee, which is expected to take it up during its meeting Tuesday.

The city is preparing its appropriation ordinance for the 2011-12 fiscal year and is expected to present a final budget by July 31.